Avionics generally refers to aviation electronics, which includes electronic systems for use on an aircraft, such as an aircraft communication system. In general, conventional aircraft do not directly communicate with each other due to a lack of information (e.g., flight identification and location) about other aircraft available to the flight crew, and the flight crew typically has no direct knowledge of aircraft in their general vicinity. Sometimes, conventional aircraft indirectly communicate with other aircraft via a transmission relay from a ground-based position, such as an air traffic controller, but this is often an inefficient way to communicate.
In general, conventional aircraft communication systems are deficient in reference to direct communication between aircraft. As a result, there is a need for improved communication between aircraft, such as, for example, for better flight planning.